We live in a culture of excess. I would like to believe that this is slowly changing, but I'm not quite convinced. In the realm of food, excess is the norm (Have you eaten out recently and noticed portion sizes? Have you ever watched Man vs. Food?) and because of this our health as a nation is paying the price.

In all the comments, opinions, and craziness that was voiced during the deliberations around health care policy last year, I rarely (if ever) heard one thing about improving the diets of Americans to reduce health care costs. If people would simply reduce the excessive portions they eat and include vastly larger amounts of fruits and vegetables, I believe we would notice a difference in disease trends and health in general. I could go on and on about this topic but I want to share a brief passage from the website of John Robbins (The Food Revolution) that says it better than I could:

"It’s striking to me that in all the heated debates we have had about health care reform, one basic fact has rarely been discussed, and that is the one thing that could dramatically bring down the costs of health care while improving the health of our people. Studies have shown that 50 to 70 percent of the nation’s health care costs are preventable, and the single most effective step most people can take to improve their health is to eat a healthier diet. If Americans were to stop overeating, to stop eating unhealthy foods and to instead eat more foods with higher nutrient densities and cancer protective properties, we could have a more affordable, sustainable and effective health care system."

Seems pretty logical, doesn't it? So why is it so hard to do this?

To read Robbins' blog entry in full, follow this link: http://www.johnrobbins.info/blog/just-how-bad-is-mcdonalds-food/ 

Gobble gobble?

I'll be posting more next week about how we're having a vegan Thanksgiving but here is an article from the Times with some ideas about vegetarian dishes for your holiday...

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/11/going-vegetarian-for-thanksgiving/?ex=1304568000&en=ae292181aca68dc9&ei=5087&WT.mc_id=BR-D-I-NYT-AD-FP-ANVRS-HP-1110-GVT&WT.mc_ev=click

Did you know that 45 million turkeys will be slaughtered for holiday dinners this month?

Vegan Enchiladas

One of the very fun things about vegan cooking is trying old recipes with new/substitute ingredients. I did a lot of this when I first went vegetarian. For example, my mom always makes spaghetti sauce with ground beef in it. I loved the texture of this so now I substitute boca crumbles or smart ground in and you really can't tell the difference!

Anyway, the other night we had friends over who are also vegetarian and I attempted (and succeeded!) to make vegan enchiladas. You can really put any type of filling into enchiladas. Pick your favorite kind of beans (I recommend black or pinto) and mix them in with vegetarian refried beans for a very yummy filling. I kind of just made up this recipe so I'll include the amounts I used here and you can adjust them based on your own needs...

Karin's Vegan Enchiladas

One package of small corn tortillas (about 10 to 12)
1 can Amy's traditional vegetarian refried beans
1 can black beans (or pinto or whatever! there are no bad beans!)
2 cans red enchilada sauce
1 cup daiya (vegan) cheddar cheese
cilantro

1. Mix refried beans, black beans and cilantro in a bowl (you can use as much cilantro as you want).
2. Spread one can of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13in. baking pan.
3. Place tortillas (5 at a time) between moist paper towels and heat in microwave for 30 seconds.
4. Put about 1/4 cup of bean mixture in each tortilla, roll it up, and place seam-side down in baking pan. Continue until you run out of room, bean mix, or tortillas!
5. Spread the second can of enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Then sprinkle the cheese over the enchiladas. You can use more than a cup of the daiya cheese if you really like cheese!
6. Bake in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes.

Vegan CEOs

I used to look at vegans with complete awe. How could they possibly not eat meat? Okay, I see about the meat, but cheese and ice cream? C'mon! That's crazy!

But now it's getting to be more and more mainstream (and I'm not just saying that because I've made the switch). You are hearing about more people cutting meat and dairy out of their diets. Here is an article about a number of high-power executives who have become vegan and are influencing others to do so as well...

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_46/b4203103862097.htm

Put down the BlackBerry and walk away...

You may be wondering why I am writing about an addictive electronic device on a blog that is about vegan food. Well, here is my explanation... Being "healthy for life" is not simply about the food we eat. It is also about living life in a healthy way spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. You can eat all the fruits and veggies you want, but if you are disconnected from others (and from your true self) your life will not be complete.

As I was driving to run some errands this morning I noticed two things as I looked into the cars I passed. 1) At least half of the people waiting at lights had their heads down and their thumbs either texting or typing on their "smart" phones. 2) The other half seemed to be talking on their phones while they were driving. (Note to east coasters: this is not illegal out here in Kansas). Over the summer, my husband and I were at an outdoor concert, it was a beautiful night, the music was awesome and I can't even tell you how many people I saw engrossed in their little handheld devices. I even saw one guy in front of me updating his status on Facebook ("At the Big Head Todd show. It's awesome!" Although I'm not sure how he knew it was awesome since he barely looked up at the stage!) And when I was at the Apple store last week waiting for my "genius" appointment, I was just standing there, not looking at any kind of device. I think it made the workers there uncomfortable! They kept coming up to ask me if I needed anything! Too funny.

I don't have an iPhone. I don't have a BlackBerry. And guess what? I'm super excited about that fact and intend to keep it that way. (I even still use a paper planner! Imagine that!). I'm not saying these things are inherently bad. There are a lot of advantages to having such phones and many people need them to conduct business and keep in touch with others. However, I'm noticing a lot of distraction in this beautiful world of ours. People don't notice things around them. People don't stop to gaze at the beautiful sunset or stare at the crescent moon. People don't take the time to just be. I'm convinced that it is unhealthy to be continuously staring at a screen all the time.  


I stay home with my 2 year-old son and I watch him very closely. His wonder and amazement about the world around him is so incredible to see. He notices details that most adults miss and I am forever grateful for the way he shows me the little things in life. This is what we need to do more of. Take the perspective of a child each day and find something to marvel at. When you're done with work, put down your BlackBerry and enjoy the things you see in the world around you.

And with that, I'm closing down my computer for the day...

Products I Like: Fruits and Veggies!

You didn't think I was only going to include man-made products that I like, did you? Of course I like fruits and veggies! And since they don't usually get the same kind of in-your-face marketing as the McRib or the Double Down, I thought I would give these fabulous foods a plug.

I just love to include veggies in every lunch and dinner (and sometimes even breakfast) that I make and if, for some reason, I don't get enough vegetables, my body feels sluggish and not quite as energetic. One of the bonuses of becoming vegan is that I have discovered multiple new ways to include vegetables in my diet and many new vegan recipes have several servings of veggies in them. I don't have to worry about my son eating his vegetables because we usually have several vegetable options to choose from.

And what can I say about fruit? I love fruit--really any kind (except pears, which I'm not quite sure where my dislike for them came from as they are so close in make-up to apples, which I love). Berries, grapes, apples, kiwi, cantaloupe... they are all fabulous! There are some days where I get a total of 10 to 12 servings of fruits and veggies, and on those days I feel like a superstar! My energy is high and I am ready to take on the world. Plus I know that those nutritious, nature-made foods are protecting me from diseases that are so, unfortunately, common in our world today like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. If you think you're getting enough fruits and veggies, add a bit more anyway. It can't hurt!

Please Read

Please read the following article from the NY Times...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/07/us/07fat.html?ref=us

The dairy industry is very powerful and the main reason for that is the government's support of their products. Remember that companies like Domino's, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and a vast array of other fast food companies are just trying to sell you their product and will do what it takes to get your business, even if that means increasing the amount of cheese on their pizzas by 40%. They increased the cheese on the advice of a government agency that also happens (at the same time, mind you) to be advising us all to cut down on the amount of saturated fat we consume. Ugh. 

Say cheese

A strange thing has been happening since I've made the switch to being completely vegan. The one food I thought I couldn't live without, the food whose gooey goodness was the main ingredient in many of my favorite dishes (you know it, cheese!) is no longer as appealing to me as it once was.

For a long time, the obstacle that kept me vegetarian rather than vegan was giving up ice cream, eggs and, especially, cheese. In the beginning of this journey, it was a little challenging to ask for the cheese to be removed from, say, my favorite sandwich at Ingredient. But now I don't even have a craving for it. This happened to me back in February with sugar. I cut out refined sugar for 2 months and I did not even want any after a couple weeks. It's amazing what your body does to recover from eating things that are not so great for you!

Cheese contains casein, a protein found in cow's milk. I've read in several places that casein is addictive, much like sugar. When I was initially sampling what I thought were vegan cheeses, I found out that some of them do contain casein because it serves as a binding agent. So those cheeses were not completely vegan. I have found one, however, that I do like very much and is certified vegan. It is called "daiya" cheese. As with some vegan food substitutes, you cannot go into tasting daiya cheese with the expectation that it is going to taste just like that Wisconsin cheddar you buy at the grocery store. But we have used it in black bean quesadillas and to top off some veggie dishes and I highly recommend it!
Here is a link to their website...

www.daiyafoods.com

Roasted Eggplant Recipe

Here is one of my favorite new recipes from The 4 Ingredient Vegan. Of course, I am partial to eggplants but I really think this is a good recipe!

Roasted Eggplant and Pesto Roulade

2 large eggplants, ends trimmed

1 package firm or extra firm regular tofu, rinsed and drained

2 cups vegan pesto (or you could just use regular pesto)

2 jars (26 oz. each) spaghetti sauce

1. Position oven rack a few inches under broiler and preheat broiler. Mist a baking sheet (or 2) with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Stand eggplant up vertically with larger side on the bottom and slice it from top to bottom making thin slices, about 1/4 inch thick. Repeat with other eggplant. There should be about 20 slices in all.

3. Place slices on prepared pan and mist them with cooking spray. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Turn slices over and repeat on other side. Remove eggplant from oven and let it cool. 

4. Lower oven temperature to 350. Lightly mist 9x11 inch baking pan with nonstick spray.

5. Put tofu in medium bowl and mash it well with a potato masher or back of a fork. Add the pesto and stir until combined. 

6. Spread pesto mixture over each roasted eggplant slice about 1/4 inch thick, leaving the top inch of the narrow end uncovered. Roll up each slice, starting with the large end. If any of the eggplant slices are too short to roll, simply top them with the filling and fold them over into "clamshells." Place each roll seam-side down in the prepared pan. Nestle them together and spoon the spaghetti sauce over the top, pouring any extra sauce around and between the rolls. 

7. Bake for 35 minutes or until bubbly. 

World Vegan Day

Did you know that today is World Vegan Day? Neither did I until two minutes ago... Here is the website about it...
www.worldveganday.org

Critical Mass

I am so hopeful today.

In the grand scheme of things, I am very new to this whole vegetarian/vegan thing. But I had a conversation with a dear friend of mine yesterday, who has been vegetarian for 18 years, that made me think. She reminded me that just over a year ago, we were having a conversation in which I said that I had so much respect for her and her family being vegetarian, but I didn't think I could ever do it myself. And now...

And now I'm hearing so many conversations, both in the media and on a personal level, that give me hope that more people who "didn't think they could become vegetarian" are, in fact, making changes that are bringing them in that direction. I hear family members and friends talking about making changes such as eating vegetarian dinners three times a week or cutting back on cheese in their cooking. I am most impressed with my husband and his commitment (now for almost 9 months) to a plant-based diet. It is difficult to express in words the feeling I have right now when I think of all the good that is being done by so many people making changes!

Right now, the dairy and meat industries are subsidized with government funds that make them very cheap and have kept their prices affordable even when the prices of other goods have soared, relatively. Perhaps I am an idealist in my next thought. I think the momentum is here where more and more people will choose vegetarian diets so much so that the food industry will have to respond. When the movement reaches a critical mass and more people choose to spend their money on healthy vegan food, industry will have to change and government funding will have to change. Businesses want to make money so when the demand for meat and dairy goes away, something will have to replace it. I am hopeful that "that something" will be the fabulous food I am enjoying right now!